Up and Over, based in the Portland metro area, was founded in 2011 with a vision to inspire resilience and connection through youth programs. What began as school assemblies, workshops, and mentoring for students, families, and educators has grown into a regional force for change, serving both young people and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Prior to 2020, Up and Over provided workshops, presentations, and mentoring programs for middle and high school youth, as well as workshops for educators and families throughout Oregon and Washington. We have a record of successfully delivering these services. A few highlights over the past 14 years include:  reaching over 26,000 youth through our presentations, workshops, and mentoring; developing and facilitating a series of new workshops for parents and incarcerated youth through Oregon Youth Authority; partnering with I Have A Dream-Portland to provide onsite mentoring to their students in Reynolds High School; and collaborations with GEAR Up – Vancouver, SUN Programs, and Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI).

Our work specifically to support people who are experiencing houselessness began in 2012, through our  annual “new” coat drive for houseless youth. In a unique program to foster self-determination, we took youth to shop for their own, brand new coat. In the first year, we raised enough to take ten youth. Each successive year we doubled our reach. Amidst the pandemic, beginning in 2021, we began supporting adults experiencing houselessness through a partnership with Our Father’s Heart. 

Now, through SHS funding through the state, we are able to provide outreach supplies, resource navigation and, for our housed program participants, supportive housing case management.

We have come far and look forward to what’s next!